A festive flag-raising, then tough talk on US-Cuba relations

He said that the U.S.is committed to pursuing “tough” issues, including human rights, with the Cuban government, and that further progress will be necessary for normalization of relations to proceed.

“Opening the door to an embassy in Cuba will not open the door to democracy for the Cuban people”, Boehner added.

Crowds are expected to surround the United States’ seaside diplomatic mission when Kerry unveils the new U.S. Embassy sign and a Marine guard raises the flag.

First secretary of state to set foot on Cuban soil since 1945, John Kerry described the day as historic day in the relations between the US and Cuba.

It follows a meeting between Cuban leader Raul Castro and President Barack Obama in December last year when restoring ties was announced.

“We have decided today to establish a bilateral commission to address issues that must urgently be addressed, including those that remained without a solution for over 50 years”, said Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez at the press conference held at the National Hotel of Havana.

Kerry was also due to take a stroll through Old Havana and meet ordinary Cubans in the historic colonial district. “But to have that, the U.S. should lift the embargo and show us an example of respecting human rights and respecting us as Cubans”. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Democracy activists on the island, however, are to attend a later private ceremony. “It would be equally unrealistic to expect normalizing relations to have a transformative impact in the short term”, he said.

The US initiated the trade embargo against Cuba in the 1960’s following the deterioration of the relationship between the two countries.

And while American and Cuban officials praise each other for attempting a rapprochement, each side is likely to level tough charges during Kerry’s visit.

On Thursday, Cuban state media published an articled by Fidel Castro on the occasion of his 89 birthday, which made no mention of the restoration of diplomatic relations. While the American flag flies over Havana, there could soon be a Cuban flag flying over Philadelphia.

But Kerry insisted the breakdown in ties and the US trade embargo on the island had failed to force Cuba to reform – and that a new path must be sought.

This is lame. Inviting the dissidents would be a demonstration to Raúl and Fidel Castro of what the flag stands for: people freely choosing their leaders, a pluralism of views and a public engaging in the institutions and traditions of a healthy civil society. In late 1960, the U.S. ambassador left Havana.

But critics of the opening, including some Cuban-American lawmakers and GOP presidential candidates, have made up their minds. “Not from the U.S. government but U.S. companies, tourists, people who used to invest money in Cuba for the benefit of the people”.